How To Get Rid Of Moles?
You can get rid of moles but you will have to be very particular in the steps you take to get rid of this yard pest. Moles can destroy a fine-looking lawn in a short time unless you do something to kill them or run them off. Of course, one of the common ways to fight mole infestation is putting spring-loaded “traps” over their tunnels.
Keep in mind that moles eat a lot of worms and also feast on garden pests. You’ll have to balance your desire to get rid of moles with the job they do getting rid of bugs and unwanted garden pests. These burrowing animals feed on underground food, including earthworms and grub worms. If you have a grub problem the mole may actually be your ally.
Find the Highway
You will need to identify the most-used tunnel (runway) to have the best chance of getting rid of moles. If you collapse part of the tunnel with your foot and find it has been pushed back up (repaired) the next day you have probably found the active tunnel.
You can use a pit trap, making the trap yourself with a few common household objects. You simply dig down into the tunnel, leaving as much of the runway undisturbed as possible. Dig down so that you can place a coffee can or jar so that the top is level with the tunnel bottom. Cover the area and check it a couple of times each day. You may find that one of these little diggers has fallen into the trap.
If you don’t have a problem with killing the mole you can use one of those metal, spring-loaded devices. Some units pierce the mole with sharp, nail-like points. Others chop the animal when the spring is released. Shop around and compare prices because there is a wide variety of killing “traps” available. Ask at the hardware or general store about the most reliable brands.
Water Them
You may have success with the simple garden hose treatment. Some people believe in this method while others say it just doesn’t work (at least not on a long-term basis). Your best bet with the water method is to find the active tunnel that is straight and obvious. This will give you the best chance of catching the mole in the ground at a particular spot.
Some old hands at the mole-getting game build barriers that can keep the little pests out of the vegetable garden, flower garden or other area of the property. If you can put a concrete “wall” in the ground that the mole runs into it will stop and turn in another direction. You are not really getting rid of the moles. You are just keeping them from damaging selected areas.
Finally, you might try treating the lawn or at least the tunnel area with castor oil or garlic. These items apparently discouraged moles considerably. If you can saturate your lawn with castor oil while watering moles may get the hint and stay away.
Category: Home & Garden, Pest Control
